At First Sight: Sky and Syd
by PrincessBellePrinceAdam
Summary: [SPD] Written for the Ars Amatoria Ranger Romance Themes Challenge Volume II. SkyxSyd
1. History

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Written for the Ars Amatoria Ranger Romance Themes Challenge Volume II. OK, I couldn't stay away, and now that I have nothing else to work on until Operation Overdrive…I am back to the grindstone for my favorite ranger couple.

Disclaimer: I keep telling you…

Challenge: History

Timeframe: Post Endings

As it happened, Sydney was on night watch the night after they captured Gruumm. The Command Centre had never been so _boring_ before. She had read all her fan mail, filed her nails, and counted all the buttons the control panel had to offer. She almost wished Gruumm would get out of his containment card just so she'd have something to do.

Absentmindedly, Syd pulled up an old video file. While the video loaded, Syd read the title. _Time for Lightspeed_, Kat had named it.

Then it clicked. Pulling out her morpher, the pink ranger's heart was beating twice its normal speed in her excitement. Her parents had been with Lightspeed and his parents with Time Force. And now that he was red, there were three generations of pink and red rangers who ended up married, if Syd got her way.

"Hey Sky, get to the Command Centre. I have something to show you," Syd ordered.

He came bursting in less than two minutes later. "Where's the emergency?" he demanded.

"I didn't say anything about an emergency," Syd replied. "Look what I found, Sky."

She pointed to the now fully loaded video. Comprehension dawned on Sky's face, and then he dragged two stools over for them. "We should watch it," he said by way of explanation.

The computer screen glowed in front of their faces as the red and pink rangers watched their parents fight one of Lightspeed's old enemies, Vypra. Admiration was carved onto Sky's face as he watched his father. Clearly he was doubting whether if he could ever live up to his expectations.

"You'll be great."

Sky chose not to respond. He turned the computer off, propped his elbows up on the control panel, and rested his chin in his hands. He looked distraught.

"I promise."

"You think I can do it?"

"It's in your blood. It's in my blood, and the others' too. Being rangers is our history, Sky, and it's our futures as well. Because of that, you'll be great."

"Watch some more of our history with me?" he offered.

"I would love to," Syd answered.

And so she watched the past unfold with the man she'd spend her future with.


	2. Guilt

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: I keep telling you…

Challenge: Guilt

Timeframe: Post Recognition

She should have known. Of all people, _she _should have known that something was wrong with her Sky. That Wootox had switched their bodies so that he was impersonating Sky. She should have known.

But she didn't. She kept on at fixing her hair, irritated with the imposter for barging in on her. It didn't dawn on the pink ranger at the time that Sky would never come into her room without asking permission first.

It had been them in the beginning, Syd and Sky. First as children, and then on B-Squad. Then Dru and Bridge had come, but in the beginning it was Syd and Sky. Another reason that made her furious with herself for not comprehending that Sky wasn't himself.

And what if RIC hadn't been able to tell? They would have destroyed the real Sky, the Sky that was trapped in the alien's body. Then it would have been too late. Syd would never have gotten her chance. And that would be too much.

She didn't want to think about how much. There was already a heavy feeling of guilt weighing her down; Sydney knew that if Sky had died without knowing how she truly felt about him that she would never forgive herself.

Syd hated guilt.

There was only one way to get rid of it properly in her mind, and that was to go and talk to whomever she had offended or wronged and ask for forgiveness.

There was one thing to be thankful for, and that was that there was still a Sky to seek out and talk with when she needed him, or more often, when her female intuition told her he needed someone to open up to.

Sydney was in one of the main corridors when Sky and Bridge came sprinting out of the rec room.

"Sorry Syd," panted Bridge. "I'll just leave the two of you alone, then," he added, interpreting the look on Syd's face that said she wanted to talk with Sky alone.

When the green ranger had trotted off, Syd asked, "Why were you running?"

"I may have broken something valuable while I was playing fetch with RIC," answered Sky. "What did you need to talk to me about, Syd?"

"I'm…sorry, Sky. I should have been able to tell something was wrong when you-er, Wootox, came barging into me and Z's room without knocking. I should have been able to figure out something wasn't quite right. Are you sure you're alright?"

To Sydney's surprise, Sky laughed outright. "I promise you, Sydney, I'm alright. No weird side effects, scout's honor, though I appreciate the concern."

"I still should have known," mumbled Syd, looking away from the cerulean eyes of the blue ranger.

"No one knew. Don't feel guilty, OK?"

That was his way of comforting her. Before she could change her mind, Syd crossed the remaining length of hallway to where Sky stood, placed both hands on his forearms, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Now at least he'd have some idea of her feelings before their next battle, and Syd could live with that.

"Alright."

And she strode off again, a speechless blue ranger in her wake.


	3. The Call

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing the characters. I promise I will give them back when I'm done playing.

Challenge: The Call

Timeframe: Post Endings

It started out as a regular Saturday morning in the Drew-Tate residence. Sky had woken first, as was usual, and once the coffee was ready he brought in two mugs into the bedroom for him and Syd to enjoy. She hit him with her pillow; he instigated a merciless bout of tickling. They were the picture of the happy couple in a toothpaste commercial, snuggled together close and stupid grins on their features.

Sky and Syd had been together for eight (mostly) happy months, and had been sharing a little house in New Tech for four. Syd was expecting the question to be popped on her twenty-first birthday, which was only three weeks away, and the pink princess of SPD had never been happier in all her life, cliché or not. She and Sky were made for each other, and she knew it.

Then the morpher went off.

Syd had never hated contact from SPD more than that moment. He was supposed to be off this weekend, and she wasn't on duty at all anymore, having opted to take some time off active ranger status to teach the D-Squad cadets and extend her career yet again by writing a romance novel.

"_Damn them," _Sydney thought, hating the rest of B-Squad for needing her Sky. Did they not know the meaning of the word vacation?

When Sky's face hardened, his jaw setting stubbornly, Syd knew he was going to go and help. He closed the morpher, ran his hand through his hair absently, and muttered, "I'm sorry, Sydney, but I have to."

Sky leaned down to kiss her, but Syd was far too angry with damn SPD to kiss him back. "Don't, Syd," Sky pleaded, and then went to put on his gray and red SPD uniform. "Love you," he called as he ran out of the bedroom towards the door.

"I love you too," Syd returned halfheartedly. He had promised that he wouldn't go on duty this weekend, that he was going to put her first and spoil her just because he could, and damn if he hadn't run off the first time Cruger called.

"_This is how it's going to be,"_ said a nasty little voice in her head. _"He's always going to put SPD before you, always going to put being red ranger in front of everything else."_

The more Sydney allowed herself to contemplate the voice's words, the more she realized how eerily correct it was. Sky was a workaholic, always had been. He had toned it down a little as the two started dating, but SPD was always hovering in the background, constantly in the back of his mind.

Sydney pulled herself out of it and headed off for a shower. Sky had promised a weekend of indulgence, and Syd was intent on seeing that through. She was going to shop til she dropped.

When she had assembled the perfect outfit and all the necessary accessories, she set about tidying up their home a little, her anger with SPD's interference of their mini vacation and Sky's decision to save New Tech and therefore the world melting into the background.

Sydney had just finished making up their bed when her cell phone rang from the inside of her purse. The caller ID read _Bridge _in glowing black letters.

"Hey Bridgey," she answered, voice sugary. "What's up?"

"You might want to sit down if you aren't already," advised the former green ranger. "I have really bad news Syd."

"_Oh, God. Sky," _Sydney said in her mind. "Bridge, what happened to Sky?" the former pink ranger demanded.

"Syd…it was Mirloc. Sky fought with everything he had, but you know how dirty Mirloc plays. It wasn't enough, Syd. I'm so sorry."

Sydney didn't hang up the phone; she merely dropped it to the carpet and hid her face in her hands, sobbing hysterically. Sky was gone. _Sky _was gone. Sky was _gone_. She'd never see him again, and after the way she'd been earlier, he'd probably been furious with her. Her baby, her guy, her _Sky_; he was gone and he was never coming back.

Her tears ran unchecked, flowing down her face like she was a human hosepipe.

She wasn't aware of how long she sat on the carpeted floor, hiding her lovely face in her hands and blubbering until she possessed no more tears. All she knew was that by the time she couldn't cry any longer the patch of sky she could see through the window was a dark navy blue.

Sydney stared out of the window into the darkness for a few moments until she became aware of a pair of glaring white headlights came streaming in through the curtains. Probably just her friends coming to check on her.

Syd wandered out to the porch, ready to protest to her friends that she was alright, that she just wanted to be alone for a little while. Bridge and Z filed out of an SPD jeep, followed by Jack.

"Hey Syd, we found someone for you," announced Jack, not able to contain a grin. Daring to believe Jack's statement, Syd bounded off of the porch to where her friends stood in the front of her home. When she reached the lineup, Sky came out, looking exhausted but perfectly alive.

With a joyful squeal, Sydney Drew threw herself into her boyfriend's arms and laid such a kiss on him that he nearly lost his balance.


	4. Let Me Tell You a Story

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: I'm just borrowing the characters. I promise I will give them back when I'm done playing.

Challenge: Let Me Tell You a Story

Timeframe: Post Reflection, with references to Sam

Sky came back from his weekend off with a scowl on his face. He stalked off to his room, arms folded over his chest, looking like he might very well kick the first person who attempted to talk to him.

When enough time had passed for him to cool off a bit, Syd ventured from the common room to the floor where the male dormitories were located. "Sky?" she questioned gently after knocking at the door. Through the steel she could hear him grunting and smacking something around, probably his punching bag.

"Sky, babe?"

"Syd, please just go away. I don't want to say something to you that I'll regret later."

"Did you have a fight with your mom?"

"Yes and no," replied the blue ranger. "Can we talk some other time?"

Syd snorted. "Uh huh. Sure we will. Open this door or I'll do it for you."

Her teammate heaved a sigh and the door slid open with a faint hiss. He was sitting on his bed, wiping sweat from his face with a small white towel, still looking extremely pissed off.

"You know," Sydney announced matter-of-factly, "If your mom is trying to set you up with a girl again it's just because she cares about you."

"I wish that was all it was," Sky said bitterly. "It's about how we got our powers, Syd. I'm furious with her for never telling me about Mirloc killing my dad and now there's something else about our civilian powers that I've just managed to weasel out of her."

"It must have been hard to face her after what just happened," Syd mewed sympathetically. "I know it may be hard to believe, but I am a good listener when the person who's talking is important to me."

"I hate that anyone would think I need to be protected," Sky groaned. "But you're right, Syd, I have to tell you all eventually, so I may as well start with you.

"Remember when Cruger told us our parents were involved with the SPD morphing technology?"

"Yeah, that was back when Z was trying to save Sam from the Troobians," Sydney answered.

"Well, our parents and Kat were trying to make stronger morphing powers because of Mirloc," Sky spat. "He was the toughest thing that the SPD earth team had ever come up against at the time, and Cruger apparently thought it was only a matter of time before Gruumm made his way here to recruit Mirloc. It's his fault we're the way we are, and it's his fault that I don't have my father and that my mom doesn't have the man she overcame time to be with."

Syd let out a gasp and crossed to his bed, wrapping her arms around him tight. "Oh Sky," she murmured, burying her face in his shoulder. "Baby."

"I hate that my own mother would keep something this important from me," grumbled Sky. "I hated being different when I was growing up. No one else had the freaky powers I did, and on some petty level it annoyed me that I wasn't allowed to be exactly like everyone else."

Sydney looked at him, surprised at his confession. "I never would have guessed that, Sky. I mean, I just thought that day you said we were all freaks that you were just in one of your moods again. I didn't trip on it at all."

Here she burrowed deeper against his side, snuggling in, relishing in the warmth radiating from her blue teammate's body. He smelled very clean, like ivory soap. It was nice.

"I don't really think that, Syd. I was annoyed…seems like I always am, doesn't it?"

"I know you didn't mean it, babe," she slurred, suddenly sleepy. Absentmindedly, Sky smoothed a few curls away from her face.

"Oh, and Syd…my mom actually is always trying to get me to go out with…"

Sydney was asleep, her breathing deep and even.

"You."


	5. Truth

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Wouldn't this have happened on the show if I owned it?

Challenge: Truth

Timeframe: During Stakeout at Syd's party. Sky's POV.

The truth is that I don't resent Jack for being picked as red ranger anymore. I was a silly child to hate him in the beginning when we became a team. No, the truth is that I resent him because he has a crush on Syd. My Syd.

As if he deserves her. As if he really cares about her. As if he really knows her.

Well, come to think of it, I don't know her either. Or at least not as well as I thought I did. All the late night talks about everything from movies and music to family to world events…and I didn't even know when her birthday was. What kind of loser am I?

But the truth is that I'm in love with her. She's the one person I can really confide in without fear of being judged, she's the one who knows stuff I never even told Dru. She's the one that's always been there for me, whether I wanted her to be or not, and I know she'll always have my back, through thick and thin, come hell or high water.

And I need that.

I really do.

Jack doesn't need her the way I do. Jack has Z to look out for him; he doesn't need to take Syd away from me. Not that she's mine, per se, but once Gruumm is gone she will be. No way is Jack taking her from me like he took the red ranger morpher.

And that's the truth.


	6. Perception

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Wouldn't this have happened on the show if I owned it?

Challenge: Perception

Timeframe: Post Idol

He couldn't believe he'd been tricked. Tricked. By someone he'd thought was his friend. What the hell was wrong with him? He should have known Dru had sold out to Broodwing. He'd been duped, bamboozled, had the wool pulled over his eyes, call it what you like, he'd been betrayed.

Dru had almost killed Commander Cruger and it was all Sky's fault. Sky was responsible for nearly killing Cruger, and then the world would have no chance against Broodwing and Gruumm. Sky deserved a far worse punishment than the one he'd been given, and he knew it. Despite Cruger's harsh words, Sky had gotten off relatively painlessly, except for his now throbbing muscles, as they had all seized up.

But that wasn't a real problem; Syd had taught him some great stretching techniques back when they'd first become members of B-Squad and the training became more intense.

Syd. What did she think of him now? Did she hate him for being so naïve? Did she wonder why he'd trusted Dru, even though it was SPD regulation that all recovered officers formerly MIA be reassessed? Did she prefer Jack to him, simply because Jack alone had seen something that Sky hadn't?

Next to Dru, Sydney was his best friend when he'd started at SPD, even though he did ignore her sometimes. And then Dru left and Bridge came along, and he'd gone back to ignoring her from time to time, for nothing else than to try to restrain his growing feelings for her. She was so beautiful and courageous and intelligent and all the other thousand qualities he liked in a woman, and he couldn't help but fall deeper under her spell with every passing day.

But she acted like he annoyed her, and that was confusing, saying he never got easier to live with and things of that nature. But at the same time she always tried to get him to spend more time with the team, to participate in their bonding experiences. He never could tell what she was thinking, but it had to be deeper than the petty things she liked to talk about when they were with the rest of the team, such as her nails or what colors worked with her hair the best.

Sydney certainly gave him a lot to think about, he mused. The pink enigma, who held a special place in his heart whether he admitted it to anyone else or not.


	7. What If

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I wish I did.

Challenge: What If…

Timeframe: Post Idol. Companion piece to Perception

What if Gruumm had never posed any kind of threat to earth? Their lives would have been so different, that was the only concrete fact.

Jack and Z never would have come into the picture…or would they? Would all of the silly fights have happened? Would Jack still have been picked as leader when he and Z were arrested and decided to join SPD?

Would Sky be any different? Sky certainly was something of a mystery, one that Sydney was determined to solve. If Gruumm hadn't come along, would she and Sky be together in the romantic sense?

She was full of wonderings tonight, she mused. And she couldn't seem to get Sky's face out of her mind, either. All she wanted, aside form that fabulous necklace in the window of Tiffany's, was for Sky to come out from behind that ridiculous little business-only façade he hid behind. He needed to get that scowl off his face and smile once in a while.

He looked so much better with it on, after all.

What if…he did smile more often? Would he take notice of her blatantly obvious feelings for him? Or would he break her heart and start dating one of the other female cadets who thought he was quite the looker? What if he didn't really harbor secret feelings for her, like she hoped in her heart of hearts he did?

She knew that he cared enough about the rest of the team to do whatever it took to protect them, but was she special to him? Would she ever be more than a teammate?

Would her mind ever stop asking questions?

What if they did have mutual feelings? What if they had been in love this whole time and never knew the other's true emotions? Could Sky even allow himself to love? Would he?

What if one of them died in the line of duty? What happened then? Syd didn't think she could live without her Sky, and they'd had too many close calls already.


	8. Chance

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: I don't own them, but I wish I did.

Challenge: Chance

Timeframe: Somewhere before Endings.

"Ugh, I am having some seriously bad hands," groaned Jack. "I think I'll quit now before I lose any more of my hard earned money."

Bridge nodded. "I learned the hard way," he said, shuddering at the memory. "When you run out of chips they make you do dares if you lose the hand."

Jack made a face.

Z laughed at the friend who was more like a brother. "I warned you not to play with them, Jack. They've got some mean poker faces."

"We're not that bad," protested the pink ranger in what could accurately be described as an evil voice. Syd glanced at her blue companion, a smirk on her face. He'd taught her to play poker when they were still D-Squad cadets and since then she'd developed a knack for it. Between the two of them no one else had a chance to win.

"I'm going to bed," announced the defeated red ranger.

"Sounds good," said Z and Bridge together.

When the rest of their team had bid them goodnight, Sky cracked a ghost of a smile at the pink princess of SPD and dealt out another hand.

"Oh, you're going down," cackled Syd, beaming at her cards. "Poor blue ranger."

Sky frowned at her statement and looked at his own cards. Well, whatever Syd had was sure to be better than the lousy two of clubs included in his hand.

"You know," Syd announced thoughtfully, putting her cards face down on the coffee table, "Life is like a game of poker, isn't it?"

Sky stared at her and placed his own cards on the tabletop. "How do you mean, Sydney?" he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

"Well, you don't know what you're going to get. It's a game of chance."

That made sense. "I never thought about it that way. Good point." He picked up his cards.

"Sky," she said softly. Her blue patterned cards still sat untouched and her equally blue eyes were boring holes in him. "Do you think we really have a chance?"

"What, to beat Gruumm?"

Syd shook her head, golden curls swinging about her lovely heart shaped face. "No, not about beating Gruumm. To be something more than we are. To be more than friends."

She had always been able to read him like an open book, and she knew it. She could take one look at him and know exactly how he was feeling and if there was a chance of him talking about whatever it was he was thinking about. Of course she had been able to see that he was in love with her.

He was hesitant in answering her query. "You know how I am," he mumbled, staring at the black two of clubs.

"But I know how you can be, too," she replied, reaching across the table for his hand. "And I honestly believe you and I can work."

"You're willing to take a chance on me?"

"You bet."

"That means a lot to me, Sydney," he said sincerely. "And if you're willing to wait just a little longer for me, I want to give it a shot."

Syd didn't say anything; she didn't have to. They had a chance.


	9. Lost

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Uh huh…right. Not mine.

Challenge: Lost

Timeframe: Post Endings.

It was gone. She wore it every single day for nearly a year, and it was gone. Her most cherished possession, and she couldn't keep track of it for longer than twenty minutes.

Sky had given her the locket for her birthday, after the party Jack had thrown for her. He'd taken her aside, a dull red blush staining his cheeks, and (with a lot of mumbling and stuttering) he presented her with a heart-shaped silver locket, containing a picture of the two of them at a carnival, smiles bright.

That had easily been the best gift anyone had ever given her, and Syd told him so. She loved him all the more for showing his warm and fuzzy side for once, especially since he was showing it for her.

And then he'd helped put it around Syd's neck, kissed her on the cheek and whispered a happy birthday to her. Even thinking about it now, that whisper sent shivers down her spine. And with that whisper she knew she'd never love anyone the way she loved Sky Tate, who in fact, _did_ have a heart under his stony exterior, one that she'd find beat only for her.

That necklace meant the world to Sydney. She wore it everywhere, taking it off only when she showered. She wore it the day Sky had saved her from Mirloc, and she wore it the day they finally defeated Gruumm. Without it she felt naked, she felt lost. It was the second worst thing that could happen to her, the first being losing Sky.

Sydney heaved a frustrated sigh and pushed a stray golden curl behind her ear. She'd torn apart her and Z's room looking for her necklace; obviously it wasn't here.

_"Maybe it's in the common room_," she thought vaguely. It was worth a shot, anyway. She'd fallen asleep in there last night, perhaps it was buried in a cushion.

Deciding that was probably her best bet, Sydney crossed the messy dorm room to the door and stepped out into the corridor, where she ran smack into someone. A very tall someone with blue eyes who was wearing a gray and red SPD uniform.

"Syd," he said with a smile, "I found this on the coffee table."

And he held up her necklace.

Syd let out a sigh of relief and stretched her hand out. "Thank you, Sky," she murmured happily.

Sky brushed her hand away. "I'll do it, if you don't mind." She spun around obligingly, trying not to let on how much she really enjoyed having his hands make contact with the sensitive skin of her neck.

"All done," he whispered, leaning in and kissing her on the check, just as he had done nearly a year ago on her birthday.

She turned once more and watched him leave, thinking in the back of her mind that while he'd found her necklace for her, she'd lost her heart to him when he gave it to her.


	10. Change

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Uh huh…right. Not mine.

Challenge: Change

Timeframe: Post Endings.

There was a change in Sky after Jack left. It was as if he'd never preferred reading the SPD handbook to hanging out with the team. It was as if he'd never been distant or acted like he didn't care about anything but being in the red ranger suit once the alarms rang out.

Now he laughed, always laughed. Now he was the one organizing team outings to the beach or to a local pizza joint. Now he smiled, a big grin that was reminiscent of a child on Christmas morning. Now he wanted to pursue his romantic interest in the bubbly pink princess.

And she was tired of being lonely on an off-duty Saturday night, tired of the ache in her heart when she saw a young couple holding hands. So when Sky asked her out to her favorite Italian restaurant, Syd accepted. He walked off with a spring in his step.

When the big date night finally rolled around, Sky knocked on her dorm room door at exactly seven o'clock, right on time. He greeted her with a vast spray of red, pink and white roses and a confident smile on his features. He told her that she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his life, and Syd decided that this new, happy Sky was an immense improvement on the old one.

Of course, when duty called, he was all about SPD, but that was OK. The rest of the time he was all hers. After countless years of careful flirting and offering comfort and soothing words, Sky Tate was all hers.

Now, another thing was changing: her last name. Their friends and family were gathered in the church, waiting for her father to walk her down the aisle to where Sky stood, ready to make promises to her. Where she'd make the same promises to him.


	11. Helm

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Do you honestly still think I own Power Rangers?

Challenge: Helm

Timeframe: Somewhere before Endings.

Sydney Drew bounced into one of the simulators, looking for a good workout against some virtual Krybots. She had a lot of vigor this morning, despite her lack of sufficient sleep the night before. But she was wide awake and raring to work off some of this pent up energy bouncing around inside her.

Alrighty then. She strode off to the control panel tucked away in the corner and began adjusting the buttons to her preferred settings. Syd pressed the blinking red button that started the machine and spring into a fighting stance.

Nothing happened.

A little frustrated, Syd pushed the control harder, and still nothing changed. Rather than breaking the machine, an annoyed Sydney stomped out into the hall to seek out some help.

Of course, the first person she ran into was Sky, who wouldn't let anyone hear the end of how the little pink princess couldn't even work the simulators right.

"What are you looking at?" demanded Sky.

Sydney's pretty features twisted into a scowl. "I was going to ask if you could help me, but if the almighty blue ranger doesn't want to stoop to such petty levels, I won't bother."

The look on Sky's face softened a little when he looked at the room Syd had just come out of. "That's a tough simulator. It's old and stubborn."

"I know someone else who's stubborn."

The glare reappeared on his face at Sydney's statement. "Whatever. I have better things to do than stand around arguing with the likes of you, Sydney."

"What's the matter? Afraid you can't fix the control panel?"

That changed his mind. "Move over," he grunted, brushing past her into the simulator room. Sydney pranced in after him, smirking. She knew exactly how to push his buttons, even if she couldn't get the ones of the helm to work.

**So, instead of Moonlight, which I did in the other collection of one shots, you got to read the lovely work I did for Helm. Happy V-Day.**


	12. Triumph

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Do you honestly still think I own Power Rangers?

Challenge: Triumph

Timeframe: During Walls when they were guarding the diamonds.

She was determined to win this silly little contest he'd initiated. Sky was going to smile for her and he was going to like it, or her name wasn't Sydney Drew. The mission she'd undertaken was _going _to be successful and lucky for her she knew exactly how what ticked Sky off.

She jumped slightly the first time he spoke; she hadn't been expecting the sulky Sky to start a conversation.

"I should be the red ranger, not babysitting a bunch of reflective rocks."

"Oh Sky, Jack didn't have anything to do with that," Syd soothed.

"Whatever, Syd. Jack just wants to keep me as far away from the action as possible. He feels threatened by me. He knows I should have been the red ranger."

Had he been anyone else she would have hugged him and told him not to worry about it. But he was her Sky, and the subject of color was a sensitive one. The blue ranger suit still stung at his pride. And she wanted to talk to him, really she did, and now that he was sulking again, Syd could only think of one way to get his attention.

"Whatever, Syd," she mimicked, tossing a diamond at him.

"Knock it off," the blue ranger growled in warning.

"Or what? Gonna call my parents?" taunted the pink ranger. That was how to get under a grumpy blue ranger's skin.

"Seriously. Don't test me."

She threw another diamond at him, a smirk on her face. _"Come on," _she thought, _"Say something already."_

It happened so fast that it barely registered at first. The next thing Sydney was aware of was that she was dripping wet and Sky was cracking up hysterically, clutching his stomach for laughing so hard.

"It took me looking like this to get you to smile?" demanded the pink ranger.

The grin vanished from Sky's face as quickly as it had appeared.

"No, no, you looked better with it on," she told him. She may have been soaking, but at least she had triumphed in her personal mission.


	13. Another Step

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: In case the term fanfiction has mislead you in any way…

Challenge: Another Step

Timeframe: Post Boom

"And if you ever scare me like that again it will not be pretty. I don't ever want to have to worry about not seeing you again. You get to be old and wrinkled and senile before you die on me, do I make myself clear?"

Having said all that, the pink ranger took a deep breath to replenish herself. Before she could round on him again, though, the blue ranger took a step forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Syd, come on. I will never leave _you_ and you know it. We've been to hell and back again together. You're stuck with me."

"You make it sound like you're some kind of heavy burden to me."

"I'm not always easy to get along with and I know you know it. But you've never given up on me, Sydney, and I love you for it."

Syd's heart skipped a few beats. Sky had just said he loved her; the room was spinning.

And then she was in his arms, holding him and kissing him like there was no tomorrow, which was never a guarantee given their line of work.

"I will _never_ give up on you, either, Sky Tate. And don't you forget it."

"When Gruumm is imprisoned…"

"You know where to find me."


	14. Simplicity

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: In case the term fanfiction has mislead you in any way…

Challenge: Simplicity

Timeframe: Somewhere before Endings.

Sometimes she missed the simplicity of it all. The simple views of a child as good or evil, black or white. There was no gray area when they were children, there was no one else trying to come between them.

Yes, the pink ranger was well aware of how her teammates felt. Bridge had a crush on Z, who returned it, but was entirely too shy to admit it. But at least the yellow and green rangers didn't have a third party to potentially hurt.

Because, you see, Sydney knew exactly how Sky had been in love with her since they were little kids together, and Sydney knew how Jack had a crush on her too. And she would never hurt Jack intentionally, but she just didn't feel the same affection for him as she did for Sky.

She knew Jack well enough to know that if she was together with Sky, that he would never do anything to break them apart, but there would be a definite change in him. He'd be sulky because Sky had finally beaten him at something, something more important than a silly color.

And supposing she did have feelings for Jack (which she didn't), well, what would happen to Sky? He would have been defeated by Jack again and then all the years of close friendship she and Sky had shared would have been for nothing. The talks late at night and the shoulders to cry on and the hugs and shared dreams…all down the drain in one fell swoop.

So she'd have to talk to Jack and let him down easy. She wouldn't lose her Sky.

But she still missed the simpler times in life.


	15. Competition

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Insert something witty and funny here.

Challenge: Competition

Timeframe: Somewhere before Endings.

A fuming Sydney paced the floor of the dorm room she shared with Z. The aforementioned yellow ranger was attempting to steal Sky right out from under Syd's nose, and Syd wasn't going to let that happen. It had taken her years to get Sky where she wanted him, and Syd would be damned if she just sat by and idly watched. Sky was _hers._ She had him first.

The doors sliding open startled the pink ranger; she'd been too deep in thought to hear the approaching footsteps. Z Delgado stood in the door frame, an amused smirk on her face.

"Where have you been?" demanded Sydney, one hand on her hip and the other pointing an accusing index finger at her roommate.

Z chuckled lightly. "Jealous, pinkie?"

"Ye- I mean, no. Of course I'm not jealous of you. Just because you and Sky were gone for nearly three hours and…alright, I'm jealous."

The yellow ranger cackled at her pink companion. "I knew it. You don't want me anywhere near him."

"No, I just don't need the competition."

Z laughed harder. "What, you think I have a thing for Sky?"

Syd frowned at her roommate. "I know you do. Just look at your shirt for example."

It was Z's turn to grimace. "What's wrong with my shirt?"

"It's yellow with blue stripes," hissed Syd. "Blue is Sky's color, and I don't want you wearing it."

Z crossed the room to her bed, still grinning. "You're delusional, pinkie. Sky and I are just friends. Nothing more. And besides, it wasn't like we were even doing anything. We went shopping."

"You hate shopping."

"He asked me to help pick something out for you, Syd. In case you've been too busy accusing me of liking your boyfriend, Sky likes you too. He was going to ask you to get dinner with him at that little Italian place you love so much."

Comprehension dawned on Syd's face. "Oh."

"Don't need the competition, my morpher."


	16. Wish

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Insert something witty and funny here.

Challenge: Wish

Timeframe: Somewhere before Endings, I suppose.

Another birthday come and gone, and yet his birthday wish had yet to come true, yet to be fulfilled. The candles were blown out and the cake his mother had brought over to the base had long since been devoured. And still there was no pink fairy princess to hold in his arms.

Sky finished cleaning up the mess his teammates had left, stacking the blue paper plates and cups methodically. He didn't mind the silence, as it gave him time to ponder some of the decisions he'd made earlier in his life. If only he hadn't pushed Sydney away after his father died. They would have been childhood sweethearts, they would have passed all of their years in bliss. She would be here with him now, most likely making him smile and laugh the way only Sydney could. He would constantly think in the back of his mind that he was the luckiest man on earth.

And then it struck him that moping around and wishing for his destiny to change would never accomplish anything. If he wanted Syd then he'd have to go get her himself. Surely Syd would want him to come forward about something as important as his feelings for her.

He dropped the plastic plates into the garbage can and then strode out of the rec room. Syd would be in her dorm room, most likely chattering with Z or painting or some other girly thing of which she was fond.

To Sky's surprise, Syd was alone in her dorm, writing furiously in a diary. "Hey," she greeted casually, shutting the notebook and tossing it aside. "How's your birthday so far?"

"The wish didn't come true," replied the blue ranger. "But then I figured out I can't wish for things to change; I have to take charge of them myself."

"I think Jack would notice if you just switched his morpher with yours," teased the pink ranger.

"Oh, very funny," he retorted. "But seriously, Syd, I need to do this."

He crossed to her bed and pulled her up firmly by the hand. Without a second's hesitation he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

"Looks like we both get our wish," remarked Sydney.


	17. Denial

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Oh, how I wish I was in charge…

Challenge: Denial

Timeframe: Somewhere before Endings

They denied everything to their teammates and to each other. Bridge would suggest to Sky that he take Syd out sometime; Z recommended to Syd that she go and talk with Sky whenever he was being a grouch.

"You know you want to," the yellow ranger would cackle with a taunt in her tone.

But they denied the attraction. They pretended there was no secret burning passion for the other in their hearts, didn't- nay, refused- to acknowledge that they wanted the other.

And they did want each other. Nothing was right unless they were in the company of the other, nothing was right unless they were in the other's arms. They were best friends; they could talk about anything and everything.

Except for the fact that they were head over heels for each other. That topic was always carefully avoided for friendship's sake, for the team's sake, for the world's sake. They were defenders of earth, they were SPD power rangers. Power rangers were simply not allowed to be in love, not until the world was safe.

So Sydney kisses his cheek goodnight instead of his lips like she wants to. So Sky hugs her around the shoulders, not around her waist as he aches to. So they call each other best friend, not boyfriend and girlfriend.

They are rangers, and they must deny their wants.


	18. One Moment

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: Oh, how I wish I was in charge…

Challenge: One Moment

Timeframe: Somewhere before Endings

He could never really understand her, never crack the pink enigma's code. She was a complete mystery, and he really wanted to solve her.

To the others, Sky knew, Sydney came off as a fairy princess, something like a bit of an airhead. But Sky, yes Sky, of all people she let into her heart. The one most likely to hurt her, the one most likely to break her, was the one she let in.

He needed her, and what was worse (in his eyes, anyway) was that she knew it. He didn't want to need anyone, couldn't need anyone. He was gruff, uncaring, cold, unloved. Unlov_able_. But she looked past the mad-at-the-world exterior, past the rock that was called Sky Tate.

So she reached out her genetically enhanced hands to him, offered a friend when he needed one. When he told his mother he was going to the academy, Syd dropped all the projects she was working on and went with him. She helped him and he helped her; they survived D level and C level cadet positions.

He needed her, needed everything about her, loved everything about her.

What made her such a mystery, though, was her behavior. Sometimes she was sweet as cotton candy, with pink accessories to match. Sometimes she yelled at him so loudly (for stupid mistakes on his part) that he was sure his mother could hear Sydney all the way in Silver Hills. And sometimes he was sure she loved him just as much as he loved her.

He could never tell how she'd be from one moment to the next, never tell if she loved him or hated him, wished he would die or would die without him.


	19. Impression

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: #Clutches her Wes action figure and cries#

Challenge: Impression

Timeframe: Post Reflection

He came off like no one else mattered, like he could care less about his teammates. Sydney sometimes wondered if this was because he had been denied the red morpher, or if he'd been given the red ranger mantle, if he would have been even more distant and focused on SPD work. Sometimes she just wished that they had never picked Jack and Z up off the streets and that Jack and Z weren't as close as they were. If Jack hadn't had to rescue his "little sister" Cruger might have thought he made a mistake with color assignments and Sky would have been given a chance to shine.

But all theories about Sky's ranger color aside, she was a bit worried about him. He had finally cracked the cold uncaring façade, and he'd let everyone see it. Granted, it was initially in front of a complete stranger, an evil, twisted, murderous stranger, but he did have a heart, one that still missed his father. Her poor baby. He'd cried because of his dead father and everyone knew it.

Sky hated himself for doing it; crying was a sign of weakness. But no one else had cared, telling the blue ranger that Mirloc was sly and ruthless.

To Syd it meant that he hadn't completely shut out every emotion but anger and resentment.


	20. Match

At First Sight: Sky and Syd

Disclaimer: #Clutches her Wes action figure and cries#

Challenge: Match

Timeframe: Post Endings

They were simply a match made in heaven. Opposites attracted, and those two were walking billboards for it.

Sydney Drew. Pink princess, cotton candy colored accessories, innocent baby blue eyes and luxurious golden curls. Spoiled rotten by her ever adoring parents. A household name among her thousands of young fans and their older brothers. Pop diva, award winning actress, Olympian athlete. No one would have thought she'd end up with Sky Tate, but she did.

Sky Tate. Formerly blue SPD ranger whose lifelong dream of being red ranger had finally come true. By the book, the picture of a perfect little cadet. When he'd received the red morpher, all he was told was that his father would have been very proud of his son. But Sky couldn't help but think that his father would be even prouder of him for finally nabbing Sydney Drew.

It was indeed funny, and kind of ironic, how Sky didn't care about the red ranger morpher once he'd finally obtained it. For Sky had realized something directly after Omni's defeat, something that would change the course of two lives forever: that if he didn't act soon, he was going to lose Sydney to dreadlock boy…er, Jack. Seeing as how Syd had thrown herself into Jack's arms the way Z had thrown herself into Sky's, there was no time to waste.

He made his move the next morning after a particularly long night of sleeplessness.

Syd could not have looked more shocked at his suggestion, and for a terrible moment he was sure that his pink ranger was planning on rejecting him. But as he'd hoped, Sydney accepted his invitation, planting a peck on his cheek before bouncing off towards her room, saying she needed to tell Z.

And everything had fallen into place neatly. The two had their share of fights, as was normal, but they were together and that was all that mattered.

On their wedding invitations it said Sky and Syd: The Match Made in Heaven.

The two couldn't agree more.


End file.
